On Saturday, a drunk driver headed north in the southbound lanes of I-20 near Savannah colliding with a minivan. The driver died in the Georgia car accident as did three adults in the van; thankfully, three children survived the crash. We read about these kinds of drunk driving accidents everyday in the Atlanta area and, although we don't know the particular facts of this horrible car accident, you may wonder if there is any liability on the person who served the driver alcohol. Georgia law in this area is covered by what is known as the Dram Shop Act.
The aim of this liquor liability law is to prevent businesses from serving anyone who is visibly intoxicated and decrease the number of drunk driving accidents on our Georgia highways. This law is tailored to address businesses who sell, furnish, or serve alcohol to someone who is in a state of noticeable intoxication and that they know will soon be driving a motor vehicle. The Dram Shop Act also covers serving alcohol to minors. In other words, adults who knowingly furnish alcohol to minors are liable for injuries caused by the minor due to intoxication.
Almost 50% of drunk drivers start their impaired driving journey from a licensed liquor establishment. Researchers with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have found there is a direct correlation between alcohol serving practices and the over consumption of alcohol which can lead to car accidents. 
Our Atlanta personal injury law firm has successfully sued bars for negligence under the Dram Shop Act when the bar failed to quit serving someone who later drove drunk causing serious injury to our clients. This is one type of negligence that should always be considered when dealing with a drunk driving accident.
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